


Wild's Magic Shop

by balimaria



Series: Wild's Magic Shop Fics [4]
Category: Linked Universe - Fandom
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Cooking, Dark Magic, Dungeons, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, I Will Update These Tags As The Story Progresses, Insert Ghost Noises Here, M/M, Magic, Modern Setting, Mystery, Thats All Ill Say, WMS AU, Weird Plot Shit, Wilds Magic Shop, Yall Are In For a Long Ride, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-03-05 14:45:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18830797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/balimaria/pseuds/balimaria
Summary: ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICEWild buys a small shop to sell a couple items he's picked up. He gets a bit more then he bargained for.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome! This is the very beginning of my largest fanfiction so far. It is made for the WMS AU born on the Linked Universe Discord server. With that out of the way, please enjoy this short prologue.

His very own shop. It's what Wild had always wanted. And now it was his. He stared up at the red brick building. It wasn't all together very large, but it didn't need to be. It had a ground floor, big enough for a counter, backroom, and all the things he would eventually sell, along with a display window for said things. It had an upper floor, which Wild was currently moving into. The bedroom was roomy, if rather musty. It had a bathroom too, which was good. The place also had a basement level, which he had yet to explore.  
Despite anything anyone else would say, Wild thought it was perfect. He just had to come up with a name for it. _Ah, well… it'll come to me in time._  
With that thought, he walked across the front yard. His bare feet brushed against the overgrown grass, leaving streaks of morning dew on his skin. He put his hand on the brass knob and turned. In he went, shutting and locking the door behind him. The floorboards creaked subtly as he moved towards the staircase. Morning light filtered through the large display window, throwing the whole front room into a hazy glow. Feet thumped up the stairs, another door knob was turned.  
The bedroom was definitely the place Wild had settled into most so far. He had his sheets set up, and most of his personal belongings were unpacked. This ended up taking a lot of space. Maybe that basement would be a good place for the excess.  
There were still a few boxes yet unpacked, as he was forcefully reminded of when he stubbed his toe on one. They contained a couple of the products he intended to put up. There wasn't a lot yet, but hopefully that would change as he got more acquainted with his new home. Mostly what he had right now were some healing teas and minor protection amulets and charms, along with a couple other trinkets. A good chunk of people didn't sell stuff like that, but, being an Earth Warlock, Wild did. He hoped he'd be able to make a decent living of it.  
But for now, he had to get some rest. No use in being so exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open, as he was now. Wild melted into the heavy quilt, not even bothering to take off his baggy clothes. He did remove his ponytail, letting his long hair flow free. Goddess knows it's uncomfortable to sleep with a ponytail.  
With that out of the way, Wild let himself relax. The hum of creatures from outside his open window sung him a lullaby that lulled him into a deep and thankfully dreamless sleep.


	2. I Go Out To Get Food and Come Back With a Body

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wild finds two new friends.

It was only a couple days after setting up that Wild got his first customer. She wasn't very unusual. Old, bordering on the portly side. Claimed to be a witch of some sort. But Wild wasn't very interested in that. He was just excited that someone had come, and within just days of moving here, no less. Surely that was something.  
Another notable thing was that he had managed to come up with a name for his place. ‘The Silent Princess’ is what he called it now. He even made himself a sign, with a pretty nifty flower design too. Exciting stuff.  
Though, there wasn't too much of that excitement happening right now. Wild, currently, was in the backyard. Unable to sleep, due to some nightmares, he had found himself out here. Already the slight breeze and silence of the night were soothing him.  
Wild sat in the grass, enjoying it's chill against his skin. He watched as a lone flower sprouted up by his knee, a by-product of his earth magic. He plucked it. It was a small wood violet, indigo, with a starburst of white in the center. Wild gently tucked it behind his ear.  
He almost didn't notice it, but amid the natural sounds of the night, there was a slight shuffling. It was almost imperceptible, but Wild’s sharp ears managed to catch it. He stared around, already on his feet. Could there really be intruders so early on?  
Wild shook away the irrational thought. “Probably just a mouse or something,” he muttered.

“Hey! I take offense to that!”

Wild jumped so hard he could've ascended the upper atmosphere. There was a… something talking to him. And he didn't know where it was. _Well, there's an obvious solution to this problem…_  
“Hey!” Wild called. “Where are you?”  
“Look down,” said the thing.  
Wild did.

It was not altogether much of a shock, what he found. It just looked like a really small Hylian. Blond, like himself, and wearing some kind of multi-colored tunic.  
“What are you doing here?” Wild inquired.  
“I live here.”  
“Ah. We've encountered an issue.”  
“And what's that?”  
“I also live here.”  
The tiny man chuckled. “That's not a problem! Now were neighbors! Okay, I'll start. I'm Four.”  
Wild frowned. “That's a pretty unusual name,” he said.  
“More of a… nickname, to be honest. What about you?”  
“Wild.”  
Four laughed easily. “Fitting!”  
That managed to get a smile out of him. Already he liked Four. Hopefully making friends would continue to be this easy. “So,” Wild began. “Tell me what you are. I've encountered Minish before, but never something like yourself.”  
Four nodded. “Unsurprising. My kind have the natural ability to become invisible. Pretty handy tool.”  
“Okay… but what are ‘your kind?’” Wild prompted.  
‘Mhm. I'm a brownie. Little elf guy that'll occasionally do chores for you. But only if I feel like it.”  
“Sounds helpful.”  
Four nodded. “Yeah.” Then he grinned. “Sometimes.”  
Wild didn't miss the tiny wink he gave. Four shuffled his feet innocently. “Soooo… tell me about you! Why'd you move here, huh?”  
Wild thought for a moment. “Well, uhm… I moved here cause I want to sell stuff. Healing magic, defense magic, magic that makes stuff go boom. I've got it all. Or at least I will. Eventually.”  
Wild was pretty sure this little guy could be trusted, so he kept going. “I specialize in earth magic. I'm a warlock, if you will. I can do a lot of stuff, but uh… here's something.”  
He put a finger to the earth and made an upward flicking motion. Daffodils bloomed where he had touched. Four gave a thumbs up and a smile. “Pretty cool, Wild!”  
Wild smiled in return. ‘Thanks.”  
After a small silence, Four blew out a puff of air. “Well.. I guess I'll be seeing you, then. I'm glad you're living here now!”  
Wild thanked him again, and the two said their goodbyes. 

The night was still quiet, the breeze still mild. But the air felt different now that he had made an acquaintance. Living here in his yard, no less. Wild, admittedly, felt a little less lonely now.

And, as he would soon find out, that feeling was only going to grow smaller.

***

The morning after rose cloudy and warm. Very warm, actually. Warm enough to be the perfect day to go out collecting. Wild had closed up shop early, thinking that due to his rising popularity he could afford to take a day off. Right now, he found himself walking down main street, using his phone to guide him to the nearest restaurant. Not exactly productive, but a man has to take a break every once and awhile, right?  
He turned right and promptly ran into a couple standing just around the corner. “Sorry,” he muttered, rubbing his forehead. The couple only stared at him awkwardly. They looked like they had just been arguing over something.  
After a few moments of silence, Wild backed away. “Uhm… Bye then.”  
He could still feel their stares on his back as he walked off. Feeling the need to escape their gaze, he turned as soon as he could. Wild, poor, innocent Wild, was then faced with a choice that could tear apart galaxies.  
_Wendy’s… or McDonald’s?_  
He chose neither. He wasn't much of a fast food person.  
As he continued his aimless wander, Wild found his feet guiding him to the edge of town. The forest stretched dark and full in front of him. He had been meaning to explore it for a long while now, knowing that there was most certainly a multitude of magic hiding within it. But he had never quite found the time. Until now…  
Without another thought, he stepped through the trees.  
_

The undergrowth seemed to open up in front of him, as if welcoming the person that shared their element. Wild did not hesitate, (He had been in enough magic forests to know not to hesitate.)  
Breathing deep, he tuned into the land, searching for something magic….

And the sensory overload almost made him pass out. _Wow, okay…_ he thought. _This place is really… intense._  
_Guess we’re doing it the old fashioned way, then._  
Shuffling forward, Wild stared around, searching for familiar leaf shapes, things that sparkled, or, if none of those, things that levitate slightly. That was often a good indicator.

***

After about an hour, Wild had managed to collect a pretty good stash. There were tea leaves, healing cacti (which was weird, for a forest), and couple of sparkly circlets he had found on a metal post, which hopefully weren't cursed. He couldn't sense anything bad by touching them, but he also could sense much of anything, with the absolute overload of magic in the forest. Not that he was complaining too much. But it was kind of inconvenient.  
With his bag full, Wild set off towards the town. He couldn't see it, but the earth beneath his feet was enough to guide him.  
The forest was just perfect at this time of day. Rays of sun from overhead made every leaf glow, as if each one possessed their very own magic. Sunlight that wasn't blocked by the trees shot at perfect angles through the air, creating mini stage lights on the forest floor. Wild almost could've sworn he saw things dancing in them.  
To conclude, the forest was making a pretty good bet on why he should stick around for awhile longer. _Wait,_ he could almost hear it say. _“Wait…”_  
Wild jolted around. He wasn't hearing things. There was something calling to him.  
And, once more, he had no idea where it was. _Goddess, I hope this isn't going to become a trend..._

_Focus, Wild._

“Wait,” repeated the mysterious invisible thing.  
“I'm waiting!” Wild called back. “But, uh, it would be helpful to know what I'm waiting for?”

In response, pinkish light started pooling from beneath a bush. The light grew and grew, until something emerged.  
For the second time in as many weeks, Wild was faced with something that looked like no more than a tiny Hylian. But this one was different than Four. This one had wings.  
“A fairy?” Wild asked. The fairy nodded, then flinched. Upon closer inspection, Wild noticed his limp, the bruises on his knees, and the arm he was clutching. Wild's eyes widened. “You're hurt!” He cried.  
Falling to his knees, he picked up the fairy as gently as he could. He was so delicate. How easy it would be to hurt him...  
Wild shook away the unwelcome thoughts. Right now, he needed to get this fairy some help.  
“It’s going to be okay,” he told him. “I have a friend just your size that can help you. I'll get you there as soon as possible…”  
The fairy nodded in relief, then passed out.  
Wild breathed deep, calming himself. _You need to find the way out._  
Trying not to think about it, he let his feet guide him. Trees of pink and purple flowers, tall boulders coated in moss, sun soaked clearings, and pools of calm water. All of it passed without a thought.  
It took too long to find his way back to town. But he couldn't help it. He was stressed. 

Wild didn't like it when people got hurt.

But eventually, he found his way. He ran through tall brick buildings and squat apartment complexes, knowing that he was nearing home, but only feeling more anxious. Fairies weren't hard to kill (despite it being monstrous to do so), and this one was badly hurt…  
Wild shook his head vigorously as he ran. _Stop thinking about it. Just get him home._  
So home he went. Wild gasped between his panting. Relief coursed through his body. As swiftly as he could without jostling the delicate body in his hands, he circled around the shop and jumped the fence that led to the backyard.

“FOUR!” He yelled as loud as he could.

Wild waited, listening… that rustle of grass, could it be another tiny body? What about the shivering of that tree branch?  
Wild waited, relief long forgotten. A minute passed. Then two. Then…

“Wild? What is it?”

Wild sucked in a sharp breath. “Four! I need you. I found this fairy, and he needs help, but I don't know how to heal a fairy and I thought you could help and I came as quickly as I could but I might be too late and-”  
Four cut him off sharply. “Shut up and let me see him.”  
Wild crouched and tried to quell his nervous breaths. “Where are you?” he mumbled.  
“Too your left,” he heard in response.  
Spotting the brownie standing among the blades of grass, Wild quickly but gently set the injured fairy down beside him.  
Four was silent for a long while. He looked over the fairy's numerous injuries, ghosting his hand over the bruises, the cuts, the breaks.  
“Do you know what did this?” Four asked softly.  
Wild responded in an equal whisper, as if speaking too loud would spell the end for the fairy. “No, I just found him like that.” Then, after a moment, “Four, if there's anything I can do… I have magic! Healing magic! I can-”  
“Wild, it's okay. You've done all you can. Leave him to me.”  
With a heave, Four lifted the still faintly glowing fairy onto his shoulders.  
“After all, you're not the only one with magic.”

***

It was an inevitably restless night for Wild. When the clock he had been watching for the past two hours finally turned to six, he got up as fast as he could. He hastily put up his hair, changed, and thundered down the stairs.  
When he got to the bottom, he stared at his counter. Then over at the display window. The sign was still flipped so the ‘CLOSED’ side faced outward, and Wild couldn't quite bring himself to flip it back. At least, not until he was sure the fairy was alright.  
With an anxiety that almost made him want to go straight back up the stairs, he opened the door leading to the backyard.  
The morning was way too peaceful for what was happening. But it couldn't be helped. So he pressed on, following the faint sound of voices coming from a sheltered corner of the yard...

“You were supposed to be watching him while he was in there! How the hell did you get hurt like this?” said a familiar voice.  
“We can talk about this later, okay?” said an unfamiliar voice.  
“But-!” responded the familiar voice.  
_“Shhh!”_

Wild heard more sounds of shushing as he rounded the corner. One part of his mind was desperately curious to know what the two were talking about, but it was promptly overridden by the worry the rest of his brain was feeling.  
“Four?” Wild asked.  
“Over here, Wild.”  
Lying underneath a bush, in makeshift pebble-chairs, sat Four and the fairy.  
And he was alive, looking as if he had never been hurt.  
Now that he wasn't overcome with worry, Wild was able to get a closer look at the fairy. He had messy brown hair, a tunic like Four's, but instead a deep forest green. A flush pink glow radiated from his being, and delicate, dragonfly-like wings fluttered at his back.  
The fairy smiled, and held out a tiny hand.  
“Name's Hyrule,” he said. “A pleasure to meet you.”  
_

“And- and then he said to me, ‘kid, you got guts. Maybe you could share some!’”  
Four roared with laughter, almost falling out of his pebble-chair. Hyrule laughed too, but less intensely. Wild just looked confused.  
“Okay,” continued Hyrule between gasps. “But if you think that's funny, then you _gotta_ hear what happened next…”  
The evening of conversation continued easily beneath the bush. Wild didn't participate, so much as watch. He had grown comfortable, lying on his stomach in the cool grass. Almost enough to drift off. He tried not to, though. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so relaxed, just watching two people chat like they'd known each other for years… which Wild had long guessed they had. But he kept that to himself.

***

He laid with his chin resting on his arm, his other hand slowly tracing the shape of a leaf that had fallen. Drowsily, he heard Four and Hyrule finishing up their conversation.  
“Well, I suppose I'll be seeing you, Hyrule.”  
“Mhmm… yes, about that…”  
Wild opened his eyes, intrigued. “Aren't you leaving?” he asked. Hyrule shifted his weight. “Well, I would be but, uh…” he bit his lip, looking hesitant. “Well, fairies don't really live anywhere, so if I could just hang around for a few more days…”  
Four kicked him sharply in the shins. “Ow! Fine! Okay!” Hyrule looked back to Wild. “Can I live here, Wild?”  
Wild blinked. A slow smile spread across his face.  
_“Yes,”_ he whispered.  
Wild glanced at Four. Four gave a thumbs-up.  
“Of course you can live here,” he reiterated.  
Hyrule grinned. “That's good,” he said. “Does look like you could use a little more company ‘round here.” He gave a slow, deliberate wink. Wild chose to ignore the comment, instead moving to a crouching position and looking around excitedly. “This is going to be perfect,” he babbled. “Think of how much more I can get done with you two here! Though, that's not to say I don't just appreciate your general friendship, I-”  
Wild stopped talking. An imaginary light bulb had gone off in his head.  
Four looked concerned. “Wild?” he asked. “Are you okay?”  
The wild child smirked.  
“If you two are gonna live here…” he said slowly.

“Then you ought to have a place stay.”

***

Tiny houses were not hard to build. Wild and company had spent only about twenty minutes collecting the necessary rocks, bark, sticks, etc. And the house itself had only taken about an hour to assemble. They had picked a perfectly sheltered spot between two large rocks that also had a young sapling overhanging it.  
And it was perfect. They all agreed, even snarky Hyrule. It had only existed an hour and it was perfect.  
Or at least, very nearly so.  
“There's one last thing,” Wild stated. Four and Hyrule, who were chatting on the roof, looked up. Now that he had their attention, Wild pressed his finger into the soil. Pulling upward, he summoned a blue and white blossom that shimmered in the evening light. A Silent Princess.  
Four gasped. “Thank you, Wild.” Then he nudged Hyrule. “Oh! Yes, thank you.” and Hyrule smiled, to show that he did mean it.  
Wild smiled too. It was a weird feeling, but he was happy. Happy that tonight, he would sleep knowing a pink light was glowing down in his yard. Happy to know that what he awoke, he would find the dishes done, or his counter dusted. Happy to know that he wasn’t alone anymore. Happy to know it was a feeling he would always remember.


	3. My Fight, Your Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wild goes out into the forest, and discovers something hiding there. Something big.

_Defense charms, offense charms, and general charms… check._  
_Healing teas… check._  
_Oversized swords, possibly claymores… check._  
_Other weaponry… check._  
_Foods of various sizes… needs restocking._  
_Funny… I could have sworn I just went to the forest for more?_  
_I’ll have to ask Hyrule if he’s stealing again._

Wild sighed. It didn't really matter at this point. It just meant another trip into the forest. Which he didn't particularly mind, it was just annoying when he had gone barely three days ago.  
Choosing to ignore it for now, Wild turned to see if anyone needed help. The mage in the corner browsing charms looked to be doing fine, along with the guy trying on some armor, whom Wild couldn't sense any specific aura from. _Probably just an item-user,_ he deduced. There was a squat Zora poking at some ice arrows, but she looked to be doing pretty good too. With a bored mutter, Wild started towards his counter.  
“Excuse me,” said an accented voice. “Would you help me find your slate pens?”  
Wild turned. A tall Gerudo lady, dressed in casual green, stood expectantly before him.  
“Oh, they're right at the front, ma'am. I'm sure you can find it,” he instructed.  
She nodded. “Thank you…”  
“Wild.”  
“Hm. Thank you, Wild.”  
She trundled off, taking the unnecessarily longer route to the front of the shop. But Wild didn't care. She had reminded him that, like the variously sized foods, he needed to restock on spell writing utensils. Though, unlike the variously sized foods, he could just pop down into the basement and locate them.  
So, less bored now, he sauntered over to the basement door. Pulling two keys out of his pocket, he undid both of the locks. Then he shoved open the door, and stepped down into darkness.  
Though it wasn't dark for long. The place _did_ have a light switch. Which was kind of weird, since an infinitely large basement would need infinitely long cables, and his electricity bill looked _pretty_ normal.  
Ignoring this break in logic, he stared down his surroundings, trying to determine which room he had ended up in so he could find one of the ones he used for storage. This one in particular had a large, twirling staircase that cut off just before it reached the ceiling. Which, admittedly, was a little creepy. But luckily he had been in this room before, and knew how to find his way to the storage rooms. He walked around the staircase, then went up about three steps. After that he turned to the left, jumped, and fell.  
When he opened his eyes, he was in one of the brightly lit storage rooms. With a satisfied smile, Wild shuffled through the boxes until he found the one labeled _Spell Writing._ He hefted the box onto his shoulders, then took an estimate at where he had landed when he came into the room. Walking back over to the spot, he stood straight, shut his eyes, and jumped.  
Back in the staircase room, Wild took a moment to reorient himself. It was one of the more dimly lit places in the basement. Though that was technically impossible, since it was, y'know, infinite. Wild shook away the thought. It wasn't a great idea to try and comprehend the vast mysteries of The Basement.  
So instead, he just stepped back over to the door, went up the normal staircase, and returned to the shop, making sure to firmly lock the door behind him.  
_

After tucking the keys back into his large pockets, Wild prepared to close up shop. Sure, it was early. But only by a bit, and he wanted time to restock in the forest before night came.  
Gradually, he shooed everyone out of his shop. Out went the Zora lady, out went the Hylian mage, same with the Gerudo lady and the item-user. Other nameless people left too. And deep down, Wild felt a little pride at just how many there were.  
Finally, he came to the last person. A Hylian, a bit on the tall side, with fluffy blond hair and pierced ears. Wild approached him casually. “Excuse me-”  
The Hylian started, then whirled around. “Oh!” He said. “Wil- erm, hi. Sorry. Can I help you?”  
Wild frowned. _Weird guy._  
Not voicing this thought, he continued. “I'm closing up shop, mister.”  
The Hylian frowned too. “Don't you close up in twenty-three minutes?”  
_Well, that’s oddly specific._  
Moving on, Wild nodded. “I do, but I've got somewhere to be. Hence the closing up early. Feel free to come back tomorrow, though.”  
The Hylian muttered something under his breath. Then, speaking audibly, he said, “Where are you going, then?”  
Wild wouldn't normally be one for small talk, but he found himself wanting to delay the chilly walk he had ahead of him.  
“Going to the forest,” he said. “Got some restocking to do.”  
The other blond bit his lip, then smiled.  
In any other circumstance, Wild would've thought it fake. It definitely would not be the first time. But… he found the sky blue of the other Hylian's eyes… familiar. And he knew the smile was genuine.

_Have I seen you before?_

But there was no time to dwell on it. The mouth of the man opposite him was already opening, lips forming a question.  
“Can I come with you?”  
Wild blinked once. Then twice. “Sorry?” he asked, his confusion evident.  
The other Hylian exhaled quickly, then ruffled his hair. “Sorry, that was _really_ sudden. Let me start again.” He met Wild's eyes once more. “I was gonna go to the forest too-” he cut off. “Goddess, that probably sounds really suspicious… sorry. I can-”  
The Hylian muttered something that sounded like _”no,”_ steeled himself, then kept talking. “Well, I'm sure you of all people know how dangerous the forest can be at night, or… in the evening, too. So I thought it would be safer... if you would come with me? I or I with you?”  
He waited hopefully for Wild's response, his hands clasped in front of him. Wild frowned. The other blond was right, it was _very_ suspicious. But against everything he had learned, against all common sense, he found himself knowing that he could trust this man not to murder him in the middle of a dark forest. That he could trust him to keep him safe.  
The blond must've noticed the pause, but mistaken it for hesitation. “Its okay if I can't, I know you barely know me,” he yammered. “And we've only been talking for like two minutes, but if you-”  
“Stop,” Wild murmured. “You can come.”  
The other Hylian's eyes widened. “Really?” he whispered.  
Wild nodded. “Really. I wouldn't want anyone to go into those woods alone.”  
A bright smile, reminiscent of some of the children he'd seen, split the Hylian's face.  
_I've got to stop calling him that._  
“Tell me your name,” Wild queried.  
And suddenly there was something in the other's eyes, a desperate hope that almost made Wild want to hug him.  
“Sky,” he said. “You can call me Sky."

***

“We'll leave in a minute. I just need to get my stuff.”  
Sky, who had recently acquired a jacket (courtesy of Wild) nodded, and leaned against a wall to wait.  
Satisfied, Wild hopped up the stairs to his room. He grabbed a backpack with some first-aid gear, a pocket knife, and some snacks contained inside. Quickly slinging it over his shoulder, he opened the door and returned downstairs as fast as he could.  
He did really want to get out and back before it got dark.  
Slightly out of breath, he gave Sky a reassuring smile. The blond still looked kind of nervous, but whether or not it was because he was going to enter a dark and magical forest or if it was simply going there with someone he barely knew, Wild could not be sure.  
Whatever it was, Sky shook it off quickly when he saw Wild looking at him. “Ready?” he asked.  
“Yup. Let's go,” the warlock responded.  
Without another word, the two opened the door.  
_

The dusk was cloudy and chilly. The scent of rain hung in the air, present but not imminent. Overall, not the greatest time for a walk, but they would have to make do.  
Wild adjusted his backpack, using the movement to glance at Sky. He was wondering if he should try and make conversation or not, but Sky was hard to read. He just walked alongside Wild, expression neutral.  
Taking the risk, he decided to try and make some small talk.  
“So…” he started. “Why'd you come to my shop?”  
A weird expression passed over Sky's features, but it was gone so fast that Wild was sure he'd imagined it. “I was looking for healing magic,” he said. “Nothing big. The wife of a friend of mine has a farm, and a couple of her cows were sick, so I told her I'd see if I could find something.”  
Wild, mildly intrigued, responded, “So, did you?”  
Sky shrugged. “Nah. Well, maybe I could've. But I wasn't sure if any of your stuff was good for animals.”  
Wild furrowed his eyebrows. “You could have asked.”  
Sky chuckled. “I was going to. But you had gone downstairs, and then you were going to close up, and now i'm going into the woods with you. So that didn't really work out.”  
“Ah,” Wild stated. “This customer satisfaction survey is not going well.”  
Sky let out a full bark of laughter at that. “Don't say that! It was just circumstance. I like your shop plenty.”  
_Hm. He's come before._  
“So you've been there before? Do you practice magic?”  
This wasn't technically a necessary question. He could sense the aura of magic radiating off of Sky. But with Wild it was always pretty nonspecific, so it was nice to know.  
Sky shrugged again. “Yeah, I do, uhm… but I'm pretty casual about it. Why do you ask?”  
Wild quickly thought up something to say to that. “Well, I practice earth magic,” he said, looking down at the sidewalk. “Been looking for someone else who does too, but it turns out we’re not very common.”  
To his surprise, Sky laughed. _An easy laugher,_ Wild noted.  
“Hah! Did you even catch my name? Do do you think I would practice earth magic?”  
Wild gave a small smile. “It was worth a shot.”

Suddenly, hard sidewalk turned to stiff grass beneath his feet. Looking away from Sky, he saw the forest stretch dark and deep in front of them.  
“Well, Sky,” he stated. “I'd hazard to guess we're here.”  
_

Leaves and sticks crunched beneath their feet as the two stepped into the shade of the forest. Birds twittered, along with many other nameless things. An almost violet light shone from the gaps in the foliage, giving the whole place a dark, but not unfriendly appearance.  
Wild got to work right away. He got down low, hunting through sticks and leaves and behind trees and under bushes. All the while, he talked Sky through how the forest worked.  
“Magic is very strong here. Incredibly so. It's overwhelming if you try to sense anything, so it's better not too, unless you're very powerful.”  
He paused to pull a mushroom out of the earth.  
“Because of that, you always have to be alert, keep your eyes peeled, and your ears open, because-”  
Wild stopped talking, realizing that Sky was trying to get his attention. “Yes?” he queried.  
Sky gave a tentative smile. “Uhm, sorry Wild, but I have actually been here before. I know this stuff. Thank you anyways, though.”  
Wild frowned. “Oh. Okay.”  
Then his face relaxed. “Actually,” he said. “That's a good thing. Now you can help me find what I'm looking for.”  
Sky nodded for him to continue. “Foods,” said Wild. “Big ones, small ones, doesn't matter. Just don't grab anything poisonous, okay?”  
“Alright.”  
So Sky got to work too, hunting through the earth for mushrooms and berries. Wild mostly took care of all the tree climbing. Sky was surprisingly awful at it, as was proven when he fell despite being in a completely stable position.  
When they had gathered enough to fill Wild's pack, the two sat, resting their cramping legs. The violet light from the evening had turned an impossibly dark indigo.  
“We should get back,” Wild said. He pulled out his phone, the bright light briefly blinding him. “It’s almost nine. Don't want to be caught out here at night.”  
He could also use a nap. Though, Wild didn't say that part.  
But Sky must've seen it in his face, somehow. “Have you been staying up late again?” He asked. Wild squinted at Sky.  
But something was out of place. There was a sudden fear in his eyes, almost… terror.  
_”Shhh!”_  
Wild froze. It was essential to trust your partner in a place like this. Quietly, he let the shuffling of leaves and the squeaking of far off creatures overtake any sounds made.

A minute passed, then two, then three. Eventually, Wild couldn't take it anymore. He muttered to Sky as softly as he could, “What is it?”  
At first he thought the blond hadn't heard him, but then, a full thirty seconds later, Sky leaned over and whispered, “I can sense something. Something big.”  
“How-”  
_”Shhh!_ It's coming!” Sky hissed.

At first there was nothing. Just quiet wisps of birdsong, and the rustle of plants in the breeze. Magic energy hung heavy in the air, but no more than was normal. When another minute passed, Wild started to think that Sky was a little crazy, and maybe he shouldn't have gone into the woods with him after all, and maybe-  
Then he heard it. A quiet shuffling. Barely audible at first, but steadily growing louder. Fear shot into his heart, but he quelled it best he could. Now was not the time to be afraid.  
_Shf shf._  
Shf shf.  
Louder and louder it came, until Wild was sure that it was only just beyond the clearing that they were very much not hidden in.  
Breathing deep, he summoned his magic so it was crackling just beneath his skin.  
_Shf shf._  
Shf shf.  
Wild braced himself, ready for whatever beast that was going to emerge. Images of every creature he had fought, big or small, flashed through his mind in rapid succession  
_Shf shf._  
Shf shf.  
It was right there. He knew it. It was close, really close, so close that-  
That he could see it's eyes. Feral, animalistic, and a deep, deep blue. They glinted in the wall of darkness that lay beyond the clearing. Watching silently. How long had it been there?  
_This is not the time for questions,_ he thought.  
So they waited, still as statues, for the creature to make its first move.  
Another minute passed in trembling silence.  
Then it moved. Slowly, but not… hunting-slow. Out emerged a snout, a head, and those two eyes that held the universe. Patterns of black and white curved all through its fur. An almost greenish mane of thick hair highlighted its size. As if there wasn't already enough of it. The thing must've been as large as a small pony, at least.  
_That thing… it's a wolf. A huge one._  
It had stopped moving again, which allowed Wild to notice something…  
A shackle, still with a bit of chain attached, was clamped on its right paw. Wild began to feel sick. And if that wasn't bad enough, there was a starburst of bare skin around the shackle that looked like burns. Magic burns.  
Specifically…  
_No. Don't think about it. Focus on what's happening._  
A deep growl reverberated through the clearing. At first Wild was positive that it was the wolf, but when he saw the creatures ears lower, he realized, incredulously, that it was Sky. Wild hadn't even noticed that the blond had stood. There was a snarl on his face, terrifyingly out of character.  
But there was something wrong. The wolf wasn't squaring for a fight. It just looked…  
Scared. Scared of Sky, scared of him. Scared…  
It reminded Wild all too much of himself. He knew he had to do something.  
Standing, he put a hand on Sky's tensed shoulders. “Stop,” he murmured.  
“I can't,” whispered Sky in response. “Not until I know you're safe.”

“Then let me prove I am.”

Against all better judgment, Wild stepped so he was face-to-face with the enormous wolf. It did not move, it just stared at him with those deep eyes.  
Wild crouched, putting himself in the vulnerable position. Slowly, gently, he held out his hand.  
_You can trust me,_ he thought.

The rain promised earlier by the dark clouds began to fall. Tears of water splattered against the foliage and soaked into the earth. The sound pounded a rhythm into Wild's ears.  
He felt something wet press against his hand, But it wasn't the rain. It was the nose of the wolf, soft and cold. It's shocking eyes stared at him, as if seeing into his soul.  
Wild smiled. “Let me help you,” he requested.  
The head of the wolf dipped, and it sat. Cautiously, Wild felt along the edge of the shackle. The burns were rough, uneven. There was no doubting what they were.  
Unconsciously, he reached a hand under his shirt, feeling the rough scar tissue coating his own skin.  
“These are dark magic burns,” he told Sky. Wild heard the other Hylian approach the wolf, and he rubbed a soothing thumb across its fur to calm it. Sky crouched down beside him. “You're right,” he confirmed.  
Wild let out a puff of air. “Sky, I have first aid in my backpack. Would you get it out for me?”  
Wild felt his pack shift as Sky opened it and pulled out the white and red box. Without looking away from the shackle on the wolf's ankle, he reached out a hand for the kit. Sky handed it to him wordlessly.  
Wild searched the box, eventually finding the ointment he was looking for. He thumbed open the cap and squeezed some into his palm.  
“Now this is going to hurt a bit, okay?” he told the wolf. It nodded, or seemed to, at least.  
Without another word, Wild spread the ointment onto the inflamed burn. He could feel the wolf tense beneath his fingers, but ignored it.  
Wild rubbed the excess on the wet grass, letting the rain wash it away. Already he could see the swelling going down.  
Wild heard an intake of breath from behind him. “We need to get that shackle off,” said Sky.  
Wild nodded. There was only one way he could do this, so he'd have to be careful.  
“Don't panic, but I'm going to unlock your shackle now, alright?” Wild pet the wolf in soothing circles, making sure it was calm.  
“Hand me my pocket knife,” he told Sky. He held out his hand, and, after a moment, felt cool metal being pressed into it. Making sure the wolf could see him, he brought the knife close to the metal cuff.  
With a click, it snapped open. 

And that was when the wolf bolted.

There was nothing Wild could've done to stop it. It was twice his size, and fast as hell. It was gone before Wild could even blink. All he could give was a surprised shout as he fell back into the wet grass, the rain now pounding down harder than ever. 

He could hear Sky asking if he was okay, but he barely registered it. Disappointment pulsed through his entire being. Right there, had been a creature that needed his help, and now it was gone. It wasn't that Wild was surprised, he wasn't, just…  
“Wild? Wild! Are you alright?”  
Disappointed.  
He sat up, waving away Sky's hand. “I'm fine,” he told him. Sky exhaled in relief. “Did you see how fast that thing went! Like a monster!”  
_No. It was no monster. It was a living thing that needed help._  
But Wild couldn't dwell on it now. He pushed away all his confusing feelings until he couldn't feel them anymore. Then he stood.  
“C'mon,” Wild stated. “We really need to get back to the shop now.”  
Sky looked like he was about to say something, but instead just nodded.  
Shoulder to shoulder, the two walked home through the forest, eventually emerging out under a twilit sky.

***

The door to the shop opened with a gentle squeal. Two Hylians walked inside, shivering from the cold night air.  
Wild slung his backpack off his shoulder, letting it fall to the ground. After a moment, he turned to face Sky and said, “Well, thanks for helping me gather all this.”  
Sky just nodded, looking like his mind was far away.  
They stood in awkward silence, neither knowing quite what to say. Thinking that this had gone on long enough, Wild stated, “Well, I guess this is goodbye, then.”  
Sky jolted, his mind seeming to return from wherever it had gone. To Wild’s surprise, he gave a little smile. “How about ‘see you soon?’” he asked.  
Wild smiled in return. “See you soon, then.”  
With the promise that they would meet again, Sky waved, and returned back to the brisk night air.  
_

As he walked up the stairs, Wild had a feeling that the question hadn't been a question at all, but a request. Deep inside him, he knew he had seen Sky before, in passing or in person. And he knew that no matter how he answered, the outcome would always be that he would see him again. It was simply a matter of whether or not they would ever speak once more that was at risk. Knowing this, Wild has said yes. 

After all, with everything that had just happened, how could he say no?


	4. All My Friends Are Friends With My Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wild gets his friends to meet eachother.

It wasn't long before Sky returned. Not even a day, in fact, as Wild was awoken the morning after the expedition in the woods to the sound of his doorbell ringing, over and over.  
“Coming!” He shouted blearily. Rubbing his eyes, Wild threw off the heavy quilt that was very nicely suggesting he say in bed. As quickly as he could manage, he pulled on a shirt and put his hair up. He would've liked to maybe change and take a shower before having to interact with anyone, but the person at his door was still adamantly ringing the bell, and continued to do so once or twice more before he padded down the stairs and pulled open the door.  
It took a moment for Wild to recognize him, as the blond was still leaning to the side, pressing the doorbell.  
“Would you stop that?” Wild chided. Sky froze. Recognition lit his eyes as he turned to Wild. “Oh! You're here,” he said, surprised.  
Wild rolled his eyes. “Yes, Sky. I live here. You know you only have to ring the bell once, right?”  
A frown of confusion decorated the other Hylian's face. “Really?” he pondered.  
Decidedly ignoring this, Wild's eyes were drawn to what Sky was holding under his arm. “Whatcha got there?” he asked.  
“Oh, this?” Sky pulled out the item and let it unfold in his hands. “It's your jacket, the one you gave me last night. I realized I accidently took it with me…” Sky gave a guilty grin. “So I'm returning it!”  
Before Wild could say anything, the jacket was pressed into his arms. He looked down at it. It was your generic coat, large, dark brown with the circular red logo of some company on its shoulder. Wild hadn't even remembered he'd had it before he’d given it to Sky.  
“Keep it,” he said, draping the fabric back into Sky's arms. Sky blinked once. Then twice.  
“Thank you,” he whispered, like it was the first present anyone in the whole universe had ever given him. Wild nodded. “No problem.”  
There was a silence filled only with the sounds of morning. Sky pursed his lips, “So…” he began. “Guess I'll be going now.”  
He took a hesitant step back, still looking at Wild.  
The warlock sighed, then put a hand on Sky’s shoulder. “Come on in, ya big goof,” he invited.  
Sky smiled. It was that big, sincere one Wild had seen on so many children's faces. With a small laugh, he allowed Wild to guide him inside the shop.

It was still dark inside, so he began by turning on the lights. Then, with a small blast of magic, he dusted the cash register along with the counter it was on. Wild hopped up onto said counter and patted the spot next to him. “Come sit,” he suggested. Sky pulled himself up next to Wild, and they sat, staring out through the display window.  
“So, how is, erm, business?” Sky asked.  
“Fine,” Wild responded.  
“Find any, uhh… cool magic items? Anything colorful?”  
“Nothing out of the ordinary.”  
They lapsed back into silence. Though not uncomfortable, it was a little awkward. “Made any friends here?” Sky asked suddenly. Smiling slightly, Wild answered, “Besides you, you mean?”  
Sky was too flustered to say anything after that, so Wild continued on without him. “But yes, I have. They're just in back, actually.”  
That snapped Sky out of it. “Really?” he queried. “How do I not know this?”  
Wild put a finger to his chin in mock thought. “Well, first of all, I've known you hardly a day, secondly that's not really the kind of thing you talk about while being confronted with a wolf twice your size, and _thirdly-_ ” he gestured towards the backyard, “They're really small. And one of them can turn invisible. So you'd probably never see them.”  
Sky made a weird face that was gone in a flash. “That’s valid, I suppose.”  
Wild thought for a moment. “Would you like to go meet them?”  
Sky smirked, though it didn't work very well on his face. “I'd love to!” He said. “I think it's safe to say by now that friends of yours are friends of mine.”  
Wild hopped off the counter. “Then what are you waiting for?” he said. “Let's go!”  
Sky was promptly hustled out the door and into the morning light. 

Meanwhile, Wild was already happily digging his feet into the wet grass, letting it sooth him. He heard Sky approach from behind him, but ignored him. The earth just felt _so nice._ Well, it always did. But every time was special, in its own way. 

It was also nice of Sky to let him enjoy this moment.

After a minute or so, Wild sighed and opened his eyes. He shifted to see Sky waiting with a patient smile behind him. “Ready?” he asked.  
Wild noticed that Sky was wearing his jacket.  
Smiling, Wild nodded. Sky proceeded to trot up beside him. “Well then, let's see these friend of yours,” he said.  
_

Wild located the tiny house easily, especially because of how the Silent Princess above it glowed in the morning sun. He trotted over to the building and got down on his stomach, then gave the door a tiny tap with his fingernail. Rustling and shifting could be heard inside as its residents moved to answer the door.  
Bark scraped across dirt as a pink glow emerged from inside. Hyrule, his wings twitching in annoyance, glowered up at Wild. “What is it?” he sighed. “We were just in the middle of a fantastic conversation.”  
“I have someone I'd like you to meet!” said Wild cheerily. “Go get Four, will you?”  
That changed Hyrule's mood. He gave Wild a look of curiosity, then walked back inside. Wild could hear more scraping and voices as the second resident of the tiny house out back emerged.  
Four was in a lot better of a mood than Hyrule had been. He greeted the blond with a cheery “Hiya, Wild!”  
Wild waved a little in response, then grinned. “I have a new friend I'd like you to meet!” He said. Four's expression changed, perhaps to that of… pride?  
“Well what are you waiting for?” he shouted. “Lets see them!”  
Wild stood, and, with an exaggerated flourish, stepped away to introduce Sky.  
They stood, staring at each other with weird faces, until Wild coughed a little.  
“Ah, yes, uhm,” Four trailed off. “Hello, friend of Wild! Nice to meet you.”  
Four nudged Hyrule until he waved. “Hi,” he muttered.  
Sky seemed at a loss for words, but he too recovered quickly. “Hey,” he greeted, as friendly as ever. “Nice to meet you too.”  
Wild frowned tentatively. He wasn't dumb. Never had been.  
“Do you… know each other?” he asked.  
Looks passes between the three. “...Yeah,” said Sky eventually. “I was just surprised. Didn't know they'd been living back here. “  
Wild could understand that. _I suppose it would be awkward,_ he thought.  
“Well, they are now. You'll have to tell me how you met later,” he stated. “But in the meantime…”  
He put a palm against the grass so Four could climb on. He lifted his hand and turned to face Sky. Hyrule's pink glow bobbed around his head.  
“Now that we're all acquainted, don't you think it's time for some food?”

***

The clattering of pots and pans was all that could be heard within the shop that morning. The smell of simmering meats and stewing vegetables all underlaid with fresh-cut fruit permeated through every room.  
Wild twisted a metal stake carefully, evenly roasting the crab it skewered. When it was done, he grabbed a plate and set the seafood gently onto it. Then he got out his best spices and heavily seasoned it, making sure it was perfect. Sky was waiting patiently at the table he had set out. Four and Hyrule sat on his shoulders. They were chatting meaninglessly with each other while they waited for Wild to be done.  
_

Eventually, all was ready. Wild set one plate down for Sky and one for himself. An additional plate of tiny fruits was set out for Hyrule and Four. It was rather cute, all in all.  
Not much was said as they ate. Sky simply had an expression of reverence as he shoveled more food into his mouth. The fairy and brownie in the middle of the table just looked amused.  
Eventually, the meal came to a close. Sky finished his last bite and slowly turned to Wild. There were figurative stars in his eyes.  
"I don't know how I lived before eating that," he praised. Wild's ear tips turned pink. "I'm sure there's better out there," he muttered. "I've just had practice."  
Sky scoffed. "Practice from who? Hylia? Don't be so modest. That was _incredible._ "  
Deciding that this was a losing battle, Wild smiled. "Thanks."  
Sky nodded. Then he scooted back in his chair and stood, stretching. "I hope you'll consider having me over for food again," he said. "If you don't I might be forced to commit theft."  
Sky laughed. Then looked at Wild with that weird expression again. "I'll be seeing you, then. Thanks for the jacket."  
Hyrule flew up around Wild's shoulders as the warlock stood. He walked around the table to where Sky stood, and reached out his hand. After a moment, Sky took it, and they shook.  
"It was my pleasure," Wild said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The roasted crab from BotW was always my favorite dish, despite it being so simple. The description just made it sound so good! So I decided to incorporate it into this chapter.


	5. Life's a Cucumber and I'm the Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wild meets some travelers out on the road.

The door shut behind Sky with a gentle squeal. Wild breathed deep, letting the soothing ins and outs calm him. Then he turned back to the table where Four stood. Hyrule lighted beside the brownie, his pink glow contrasting the other's bright blond hair. Wild put his hands on his hips. "Well," he began. "I don't know about you guys, but I need to set up shop. People are gonna be waiting." Wild finished the statement with a gesture towards the back door. Four nodded and waved, along with Hyrule. Then, without another word, the latter grabbed Four's arms, and they flew out of sight.  
With that done, Wild began to pick up the remains of the morning meal. Stacking the plates and cups on one hand, he used the other to guide himself around the counter and open the door to the backroom. He located the large sinks and put the plates inside. For a few seconds he glared at them, before sighing in defeat.  
_I'll wash them later._

He decidedly exited, shutting the door behind him with a clack. He approached the display window, prepared to flip his open sign, then hesitated. _It'd be a good thing to make sure everything's in order first…_  
Nodding to himself, Wild started to circle shop, fixing displays and trimming plants. Everything looked fine, and he felt a small pang of pride. Not a month into his career, and he had managed to garner not only a significant amount of regulars, but also a vast increase in his product variety. He had been exploring every nook and cranny of the forest and city. He had grown hidden gardens, made acquaintances, discovered secret temples full of rupees and treasures, one of which was staying stubbornly shut, despite his best efforts…  
_Well, it's located behind a waterfall, so maybe it's some kind of water magic…? I'm not too proficient in water magic though… maybe I'll find something that can help with that. Or maybe I'll just get someone to open it for me. But then I might have to share what I find in there…_  
Realizing he was becoming very distracted, he shook his head vigorously, clearing his thoughts.  
_Later,_ he told himself.  
With that, he flipped the open sign and stepped outside.

Almost instantly, a short Rito women stepped inside with a respectful smile at Wild. Not five minutes later came another ruffled looking Rito lady. And only in another ten minutes came a Goron who barely fit through the door.  
Thinking he should probably go inside and make sure everything was as it should be, he turned and walked back through the entrance.

***

Sorting through shipments was never fun, but it was especially unenjoyable when his order had gotten completely messed up. Hell, his _basement_ was probably more organized than the boxes he was staring down. And it was _infinite._ But alas, Wild was bound to duty...  
Customers coming every two seconds with questions or requests didn't help either.

Wild sighed as he shut another meticulously sorted box. That was the last one for today. He hoped he'd never have to sort another box in his life, but that happening was pretty much nill.  
Wild stood and put the box in the back room, then turned and, shutting of the light, he pulled the door closed behind him. The shop bustled with life. Feathers and skin and stone all rubbing and brushing together.  
Wild noticed the line at his counter and felt a pang of guilt. He probably should've organized his shipments later, but he'd never think about anything else the whole day if he did that. And now there was a whole line of people waiting for him. Once more, the warlock sighed. There was nothing he could do about that now, it was already done. So he put on a smile, walked to the counter, and started scanning. Countless hands reached out with glowing rupees and shapeless products. Wild felt himself fall into a lull, robotically speaking and scanning and standing.  
_I wish I could be anywhere else._

At an infuriatingly slow rate, people started filing out of the store. Wild dully watched his clock.  
7:56…  
7:57….  
7:58…  
7:59…  
At long last the clock ticked to eight. With renewed vigor, Wild stretched and shooed the remaining people out the door. Exhaustion pulled at his limbs and made his eyes heavy. He stared down the totality of his shop, noticing the quills and pencils on the ground, and the soil littering his succulent shelf. With an expression of resignation, he shut off the lights and climbed the stairs.

***

The next day rose foggy and cool. The window in Wild's room was shining an annoyingly bright light on him, and no matter what he did with his quilt he couldn't get it to stop. With a huff, he finally threw off the heavy blanket and pulled the curtains shut.  
Unfortunately, now that he had gotten up, there was no way he could fall back into the embrace of his bed. Annoyance cut through his exhaustion like a knife. Grasping a stray watch lying on his shelf, he read the time with blurry eyes.  
_6:51… Saturday._  
The weekend. Praise Hylia. Goddess knows he needed a break.  
Now breathing easy with relief, he made his was down the stairs slowly, as not to stumble.  
And yet, despite his best efforts, a stray pencil on the last step managed to pull Wild's feet out from under him. He fell forward, cartoon-style. It would've been funny if it hadn't hurt so much.  
Cursing his past self for not cleaning up, Wild stood shakily. Soil coated his hands, and he realized he also needed to dust the place.  
Very intentionally ignoring this, Wild stepped out the door and into the light.  
_

It was a good, solid day for a walk. Fog wrapped around the city, stifling the sound of birdsong and lawnmowers. It allowed Wild to think for a bit. Still ignoring the glaring problem of his own rat’s nest of a shop, he thought about what else he might be able to get done.  
_I could pick some flowers, perhaps… or maybe Sky would like to hang out? Oh… I don't know where he lives. I'll have to find that out…_  
Soon enough, his mind shifted towards more productive matters.  
_Well, gathering some herbs in the woods would be good, but it'd be nice to go somewhere else for a change. I've been to the labyrinth under the general store… and the hidden temple in the cliff side… but not…_  
_The temple behind the waterfall!_  
Smiling to himself, he set a path for the river. Shops and businesses faded to houses which in turn faded to trees and grass. The river ran deep and shallow, snaking its way between water weeds and weeping willows. Gravel crunched beneath Wild’s feet as he made his way along the path. It was quiet here. The sound of roaring cars and barking dogs had long faded into…  
Voices?  
Yes; there was no mistaking it. The sound of quiet voices from somewhere up the path, slowly winding down with the river.  
Suspicion made Wild stop in his tracks. They could turn out to be harmless, of course. But years in the field of magic had taught him to trust no one. He loosened the sheath to his dagger, and let magic crackle up from within him until it was flowing just beneath his skin.  
Wild could feel the scars wrapping around his abdomen pulse slightly, as if making a request.  
He ignored it and kept walking.  
Steadily, two more sets of gravel-crunching footfalls joined his own. He was rounding a corner…  
A flash of bright hair, the rustle of a backpack, the shifting of fabric against skin...  
_There!_  
Two strangers appeared from around a bend in the path. Instantly his mind set to work inspecting the two, making note of the magic rods around the older’s belt, and the other’s-  
Wild stumbled, pressing a hand to his head. Pain pulsed on and off in bright flashes. Desperately, he tried to push down the magic sparking at his fingertips. He could hear the voices of the travelers stop abruptly as they noticed the shivering warlock.  
“-ey! Hey! -ild! Are you alright?”  
He felt a warm hand on his shoulder, but that only made it worse.  
“Don't… stop… don't touch…” Wild sputtered. His breath came short, and he had to sit down. He could still hear the shouting of the travelers as memories pressed into his mind…  
“-ed potion? Fairy? -nything?”  
There was the sound of a cork being pulled from a bottle, then a fluttering of wings, and then the pain stopped. Wild’s head cleared, and he could stand again.  
He did so. Two pairs of eyes full of concern stared down at him. Wild brushed his hair out of his face awkwardly, and gave a little smile.  
“Uhm, thanks,” he muttered.  
One of the travelers rolled his eyes. The other… person just smiled. Wild stared at him, eyes still wide. He was on the shorter end. Dark curls bounced around his head. He wore some kind of deep purple rabbit cloak, and had a smattering of freckles across his cheeks. Bright brown eyes stared back at him with worry.  
Overall, not the kind of person you would consider threatening, and yet…  
The taller one spoke. “You okay now, kid?”  
Wild nodded, still out of breath.  
Almost unnoticeably, the dark-haired boy slipped a hand through the taller’s. “Good thing you had that fairy, eh, Legend?” He said.  
_Legend… interesting name._  
_Legend_ spoke once more. “I guess. I'm fresh out now, though.”  
The dark-haired boy scoffed. “Don't be so rude!”  
With a flip of blond hair and a twirl of red coat, Legend crossed his arms. “Whatever.”  
Then with a surprisingly hard expression, Legend glared at Wild. “So? What was it that made me use my last fairy on you, huh?”  
That was a pretty hard question. You can't exactly tell someone you've just met that you collapsed due to the long-lasting effects of dark magic withdrawal. It's not exactly a welcome subject. Although, the raven-haired boy…  
_It doesn't matter. Not now._  
So he hastily thought up an excuse. “Uhm… asthma attack?”  
It was pretty lame. But the freckled boy seemed to accept it.  
Legend only scoffed.  
The dark-haired boy put a hand on Wild’s shoulder. He braced himself for more throbbing pain, but this time… it didn't come.  
The touch was small and warm. Like a normal person’s.  
_Weird._  
The hand pulled away, and the cloaked boy gave another bright smile. “Glad you're feeling better, then! What's your name? I'm Ravio! I have a charm for breathlessness if you'd like to buy it?”  
Wild grimaced. “I'm Wild. And, uh… no thanks.”  
Ravio pulled his hand out of his bulging bag. “Oh. Okay. Well, nice to meet you, Wild!”  
Wild shook Ravio’s hand, now feeling a bit more comfortable. Once he pulled away, Ravio turned to Legend in a twirl of purple fabric. “C’mon! You could at least be a little more inviting!” He chided. Then he pulled hard on Legend’s coat until the stood side by side.  
“Well,” Ravio began. “I guess I should be a bit more formal about this! I'm Ravio,” he pointed to himself, “and this is Legend!” He pointed to the blond man. “We’re merchants! We sell a whole bunch of magic stuff!” He continued. “We also buy things, but only if they're good!”  
Ravio took a deep breath, then kept talking. “If you'd like, maybe you could buy something?” With a nervous grin and a weird look at Legend, Ravio finished.  
This was a lot to think about. But luckily, all of it was good. This was the perfect chance for a business deal.  
_Hmm… I don't really like how that sounds. Maybe… uhm…_  
A small cough shook him out of his thoughts. The pair was staring at him expectantly.  
Wild smiled slightly, then started talking.  
“I have a magic shop downtown,” he started. “How about you come down there someday? Maybe we can strike up a partnership?”  
Ravio turned excitedly to Legend. The blond nodded. The cloaked boy looked back at Wild with a gleam in his eyes. “We'd love to!”  
Wild felt a grin pull at his lips. _I'm really getting some roots into this town._  
Without another word, he pulled a scrap of paper out of his pack. After scribbling down his address, he handed it to Ravio. Surprisingly, the boy looked a little tentative. “Oh, that won't be necess-”  
Ravio was cut off by Legend stomping on his foot. Wild gave them a look.  
“We’ll take the address,” Legend said.  
Shrugging internally, Wild pressed the paper into Ravio’s hands. He tucked it into the recesses of his cloak.  
Legend took a step towards Wild. “I guess we’ll be seeing you, then,” he said. Then the blond tugged on his companions cloak. “Come along, hun.”  
“Wait!”  
The two stopped in their tracks as Wild caught up with them. “Can I ask you one more favor?” The warlock queried.  
With a glance at Ravio, Legend nodded. “I suppose,” he grunted.  
With a quick smile of thanks, Wild breathed in.  
“Can you tell me anything about the temple behind the waterfall?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I decided to chop this chapter in half because it was taking awhile. Expect the next one soon!


	6. Wind, Water, and my Eternal Salt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After speaking with Legend and Ravio, Wild manages to enter the temple behind the waterfall. It's not nearly as easy to conquor as he'd hoped, though.

A misty spray of water splashed in Wild’s face as he approached the waterfall. He put a hand up in front of his eyes in an effort to keep it out. It didn't work too well, but it was better than nothing.  
The roaring of the wall of water silenced Wild’s footsteps as he shuffled in front of the approximate center of the waterfall. With a quick glance up, he confirmed his position. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hands and shut his eyes.   
Wild spoke the spell that Legend taught him in a loud whisper, and the water divided before his eyes.  
Wild grinned with satisfaction. It was great to have the damn thing finally opened up. Without further hesitation, Wild stepped between the separate streams of water and into the temple.  
_

It was dark inside, but watery light streamed through a layer of thick glass above, giving the deep green walls a majestic appearance. Vines and creepers coated the walls in abundance. They caught on Wild's shoes as he walked.  
In front of him appeared an intricate door of dark metal. He crouched, and curled his fingers along the base of the door. In seconds he was through.  
Wild assessed his surroundings. A great water wheel spun in the center of the room, churning the liquid below it into a foamy mass. Murals curled around pillars and columns, depicting goddess-knows-how-ancient scenes. More dark metal doors were set at intervals. One had heavy chains set around its frame.  
Wild huffed. It was obvious what he had to do, but... something had caught his attention. Below him, his shadow seemed to be lengthening. Slowly crawling across plant and stone until…  
With a great screech something dropped from the ceiling. Wild had barley a second to role to the side as a massive monster fell upon where he had been moments before. He mindlessly listened to his first instinct and flung his dagger at the monstrous beast before it could recover.  
Of course, it did nothing.  
The monster got up with no regards to the blade in its side and crawled towards Wild, its five fingers twitching maniacally as it skittered across the ground.  
Sensing no other option, Wild summoned his magic. He let it flow into the ground until the vines beneath him were twitching just as much as the monster before him.   
Suddenly animate, the vines shot around the beast's finger-legs, grounding it. More and more piled on, until nothing more could be seen of the blackened flesh, and a twirl of smoke seeped from in between the green.  
Breathing deep, Wild let himself relax. Then he dug his hands around in the mess of vines until he found his dagger.  
Well, less found, more accidentally-stabbed-himself with.  
Cursing and shaking his bleeding finger, Wild sheathed the dagger. He took a moment further to calm himself, then continued on his way. There was no use in staying still.  
The water wheel didn't move that fast, so it would be easy enough to hitch a ride. Wild waited until one of the platforms come around, then he stepped onto the polished wood. He spun in a slow quarter-circle before coming across the door without a lock. He quickly stepped onto the protruding platform and, without further ado, opened the door.  
_

What was inside of the door was a stark contrast to the outside. It was dark here, with only two torches that were somehow lit. The walls, while still the same deep green, had water and grime seeping from in between the cracks.  
 _Well, this is simple enough._ Even he, probably the least competent person when it came to fire magic, could light a flame.  
With a flick of magic, he did so. It glowed softly just above his finger, revealing that the room was a lot larger than he had originally thought. The walls stretched far, much farther than what his measly flame could light.   
_Well, nothing to do but keep going._  
So he did. His feet clacked lightly against the smooth marble floor as he walked. But despite his best efforts, the room kept on going, it's vastness seemed to swallow Wild up as he moved farther and farther from the faint torchlight behind him. Eventually, all that remained was himself and the floor, and all he could see was his candle of a flame hovering silently above his finger.  
Suddenly an old, rusty smell hit his nose like a bullet. It was his only warning before he ran face-first into something hard and uncomfortably cold.  
Rubbing his nose, Wild strengthened his candlelight flame as much as he could.  
 _Finally._  
It was a door, plain and simple. Wild sighed in relief and opened it without hesitation, excited to finally get away from the pressing blackness.  
And there was only more wall, just the same as the wall surrounding it. Wild ghosted his hand over the stone confusion. But it only confirmed that it was just a bunch of wet bricks. Squinting at the would-be door, he decided to try a few more things, just to see if it was _really_ just a wall.  
Perhaps he could manage to distract himself from the dread pounding in his stomach in the process.  
_

After a couple minutes work and little success, Wild gave up. His hands fell away from the wall that was, indeed, just a wall. He once more became aware of the oppressive silence and the unending darkness.   
The sound his footsteps made as he turned away from the wall echoed across the vastness, ending an unimaginable distance away. The rustling of his bag as he picked it up was like thunder, and his very own breath was like the rain that followed. Wild's breath hitched. He couldn't move. It was too stuffy and yet too arid at the same time. The shadows that swam before him were real, but were the specks of light he kept thinking he saw real too?  
 _Move,_ he told himself.

But there was nothing. Why was there nothing?

_Move!_

It didn't make sense. This wasn't how it worked. _This wasn't how it worked!_

_MOVE!_

And he did. Wild started running and he didn't stop. He couldn't see, but he wouldn't have been able to even if he could. There was him one moment, and then the next there was dread.   
And the only thing Wild knew to do with that was to run. His feet pounding and pounding against the void of a floor until something, anything was reached.

A blackness greater than the one pushing against his eyes enclosed his mind. Outside there was _nothing, nothing, nothing,_ and inside himself?

Wild slowed. The thunder of his footsteps echoed one last time, then died. 

_Of course._

He slammed a palm against his head for being so stupid. There was _nothing._ Of course there wasn't. It wasn't real. Well, it was. But everything he thought he saw was just what the damn temple wanted him to see.   
His heart slowed, and his breathing evened out. The lights that kept flashing before his eyes congregated, and became two torches. After a moment's pause and another curse at himself for being so dumb, he started walking towards them.  
_

There turned out to be a third, unlit torch hiding just to the left of the other two. With a huff and a roll of his eyes, Wild held his finger at the wood piled inside the torch. After a few seconds, it caught, and a fourth flame glowed into being within the walls of the temple.  
A clattering behind him caught his attention. He floundered around in the darkness for awhile before his hand found cold wood. A chest. He pulled it open easily, and dug around inside until he felt his skin come into contact with metal. A key. Not a very big one, but enough to open the door opposite to the one he was in now. He pulled it out and kicked the chest away. Then he turned on the spot and stalked to the door. Pulling it open with a clatter, he emerged back into the light.

It was a relief to return to the watery light of the water wheel room. And hearing anything more than silence was a blessing. Making sure to keep an eye on his shadow, Wild continued on his way. The water wheel spun 'round once more, and he hopped onto it, this time turning a full half-circle before he came upon the locked door. Wild quickly jumped from the hard wood platform and onto the protruding stone one that laid before the locked door. Fumbling the key from his pouch, he stuck it into the lock. It fit right, though it took him a few tries to get it to turn.  
When it finally caught, the chains clattered to the floor. Wild nudged them off the platform until they fell into the churning water.  
With renewed hope, Wild entered the western door of the temple.  
_

The metal door slid open soundlessly. Light spilled out from the room before him, making harsh shadows of his form. Wild entered cautiously, inspecting the room. It didn't look all that abnormal, at least for a dungeon. There was a barred door to his left, and a locked door to his front. Staircases that led nowhere twisted around the walls, and behind them Wild could hear the squeaking of rats and keese. The source of the bright light came from a sunroof, set clumsily into the high ceiling. Cast iron bars locked it in place.   
He took a hesitant step forward, wary of whatever the temple had in store for him.  
Almost on cue, a harsh grating sounded from above him. The bars on the sunroof slid away, and the cloudy glass fell to the floor, shattering. A slow but steadily increasing trickle of water started drip-dropping into the center of the room.  
Cutting through the trickling sound were duel, piercing screeches. Two Kargarocks dropped down through the empty sunroof. Their talons clicked menacingly on the marble floor.  
Wild had been prepared for monsters, but not for flying ones. And by the steadily widening stream of water coming from the ceiling, there wasn't much time _to_ prepare for them.  
With no other choice, Wild readied his stance and summoned his magic, watching the duel Kargarocks warily. They took flight, taking their sweet time circling Wild's form. Finally, one swooped in, talons ready, for a strike. Wild easily ducked, raised his dagger, and carved a long, deep cut through the monster's belly. It fell with a thud behind him, dead.  
The other Kargarock glared at him, but Wild could see the apprehension in its eyes.  
Unfortunately, Wild didn't have the time to wait for this one to attack. He was now almost ankle-deep in grimy water, and it was only getting deeper. He took a breath, shot a glare at the snarling bird monster, then summoned his magic. It crackled at his fingertips, making his hand feel like it had fallen asleep. Ignoring the steady pulsing on his abdomen, Wild fired.   
Concentrated magic burst forth from his being, striking the spot exactly above the Kargarock's head. Wild grimaced as the beast made a noise almost akin to laughter. But he wasn't done. The bricks in the ceiling were old, and they crumbled easily. That, or right onto the Kargarock's head.   
The mighty beast fell with a dying screech, landing with a hard splash. Wild couldn't see it's body beneath the climbing water, and he took it as a sign that he should probably start getting out of here.  
A loud swoosh of displaced water caught his attention. The barred door to his left had opened, and the water was flooding into it.   
Wild waded through the liquid, his legs feeling like lead. He was tired, and he was pretty sure there wasn't a lot of treasure worth what this dungeon was putting him through.  
Eventually, he reached the doorway. He ducked through, spotting a shadow beneath the ripples. He reached down, fumbling until he located another small chest. He pulled it out and opened it. Inside was a small key, and a measly twenty rupees. Wild groaned. _Well, at the very least I can get out of this damned room now._   
With that, he ditched the chest and began swimming to the main room. It was more than halfway full now, and Wild could barely see the top of the locked door before him. Key in hand, he swam as quickly as he could towards the door. The room almost seemed to lengthen, making the trip seem twice as long. By the time he got there, he could no longer see the door through the black water.  
With a sigh loud enough that Hyrule and Four could probably hear, Wild took a deep breath, and dove beneath the waves.   
He couldn't see much, so all he could do was feel for the lock. It didn't take him long to find it, but by then his breath was already short. Wild kicked for the surface, noting with apprehension that it took him longer to get there then it did for him to dive. After his lungs were satisfied, Wild dove again and found the lock once more. He inserted the key, then turned it.  
Or tried to, at least. True to the other lock, this one proved a nightmare to turn. His last vestiges of air bubbles out through his mouth, and with no other option he swam for the surface.

And didn't find it.

Terror seized his being. He pressed his hands along the ceiling, but there was not a scrap of oxygen left. He tried to think clearly. He could swim to the sunroof, but that would take too long. So would the door at the opposite side of the room. So Wild whipped around in the water and dove, scrambling to find the lock. Blessedly, his hand found it almost first try. But that would be no use if it _wouldn't fucking open now._   
He turned it, again and again, this way and that. A deep, shimmering void pressed at the edges of his vision, and he felt about to burst with the lack of air. Again and again, he turned the key, but it simply wouldn't catch.   
His hands fell away, drifting limp in the water. There was nothing he could do.

_What a way to go._

***

Wild awoke with a gasp. Then another. He couldn't get enough of the air filling his lungs, and he drew in breath after breath after breath of it. The blackness shielding his vision faded only after a minutes worth of steady breathing. He felt strength flow back into his limbs, and so subsequently sat up.   
The water was mostly gone. Only a few pools of it sat in the niches of the room. Some of it dripped from the staircases, too. But other than that, nothing. Wild frowned in confusion. The goal of a dungeon was to kill you before you got any treasure, so why had this one let him live?  
A shimmering in the far corner of the room caught his attention. He crawled over to it, eyes wide. It was almost as if a blocky void had been cut in the small corner. Though, he didn't have much time to wonder about it, as it glitched away in a few seconds, taking a bit of water with it.   
Even if this temple wasn't out to kill him, it might do so anyways with the headache it was giving him.  
He sighed. There was nothing to do for it now. He just wanted to get out of here.  
With no further hesitation, he stumbled to the still-locked door, turned the key infuriatingly easily, and stepped through.

The next corridor turned out to be blessedly simple. There was a staircase, leading to a large door, and a couple clay pots on either side of him. Wild promptly broke the pots, recovering the arrows and, thankfully, fairy that came from them.  
Newly invigorated, though no less pissed, Wild made his way up the stairs.   
_Probably just a mini boss through here,_ he told himself. _And hopefully no more surprises._  
Not altogether encouraged, Wild pulled open the door and entered.  
As expected, a dimly lit, half-moon shaped room laid before him. He took a second to make sure his weapons and magic were ready, then stepped forward.  
With a clang, an armored Stalfos fell from nowhere. It immediately began circling Wild, much like the Kargarocks had.  
He sighed. Stalfos weren't hard to kill, but they were a pain. 

Although, not if you had any bombs.

Wild removed one from his pack with a grin and lit the end with his finger. The Stalfos was tentatively approaching him, its spiked club at the ready. He backed away to let the fuse shorten a little more.  
With sudden vigor, the Stalfos raised its club and slammed it down, creating a crack in the floor where Wild would've been, had he not rolled away a second before.   
In the same movement, he lobbed the bomb at the monster's head. It hit and detonated, right on its mark. The Stalfos fell to pieces, it's head still jumping around desperately.   
Wild nonchalantly sauntered over to the bouncing skull, and smashed it in with his foot. It stopped moving, which was nice of it.  
The bones evaporated into mist, and then collected before him into the shape of a chest. It's golden and red decor suggested a treasure actually worthy of all his suffering. With a tired half-smile on his face, Wild opened the chest.

What he pulled from the red velvet lining confused him. It was thin and white, much like a conductor's baton. Wild ghosted his finger over it, then gave it an experimental wave.   
Immediately there was a blustering wind. It pulled at his clothes and threatened to undo his braids.   
An even bigger grin split his face. _Wind magic._ He didn't have _any_ wind magic.   
Maybe this temple had something to offer after all.  
Satisfied, he stuck the baton into his pack and stood. Then he turned and began the short journey back to the water wheel room.

***

It wasn't long before Wild found himself once more in the racket of the water wheel room. He padded out onto the stone platform, watching the wheel turn in slow circles. It was nice to take a breather, and it also let him inspect his next area of focus. Case in point: the northern door of the temple. It was barred, and there were some weird pinwheel-looking things on either side of it. Though, now it was obvious what he had to do.  
Wild waited patiently for the wheel to come round, then, for the third time that day, hopped on. He spun the necessary three-quarters of a circle before coming upon the northern door. He dug around in his pack for awhile before locating the wind baton. With another private smile, he flourished it, and a sharp breeze cut through the room. The water wavered. His clothing rippled. The pinwheel spun, and the door opened.  
Wild returned the baton to his pack, then dusted off his hands. He then gripped the base of the door, hefted it open, and stepped through the open entrance.

It was the last thing he did before he fell into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Stalfos from this chapter is from the Wind Waker, because I think they're more interesting to fight then any of the other ones.


	7. I Try To Flounce My Independence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (It doesn't work.)

_falling..._

It's all there was. The fall. The empty space. The air, pressing hard against his body yet not feeling it at all. The nothingness that the temple so loved. It's as if his whole body was but another particle of air, moving with all the rest.

That is, until he hit the ground.

By the goddess, it _hurt._ He had never wondered why the ground had to be so hard until now.

Groaning, Wild attempted to stand. Though, it didn't work so well, considering that as soon as he got to his knees, his muscles decided they didn't like him as much as they used to.   
Choosing that it was probably best if he stayed put for awhile, Wild let himself relax. The stone beneath him was cold, slightly wet, even. A low, constant sound rang through what he assumed to be the cavern he was in. Unfortunately, his ringing ears were unable to pin down whatever the noise was. He couldn't see anything, but he soon realized that it was probably because his eyes were closed. Another soft groan escaped his lips as he blinked them open.

It was not totally dark, but there was none of the natural light that had filtered through the sunroof in the previous rooms of the temple. Torches flickered at intervals along the walls, giving a generous dose of murky orange light. Wild noted that it was reflecting off something at the edge of his vision.   
_Okay, option one… turn my head and look at it, or option two, stay put and not force my muscles through more suffering…_

_...fuck my life._

He growled in protest of his own movement, but did it anyways.   
_Okay, we're facing the sparkly thing. Now I just have to wait till my head stops exploding..._  
It took a significant amount of time before his vision decided to clear, which was immensely frustrating. But eventually, the weird sparkly thing came into focus.

It was a river, fast and dark. The torchlight had formed shimmering patches along the surface, creating the sparkling effect. The roaring noise made sense too now, as surely a river that big would make significant noise.  
Though, that didn't mean it did any good for his pounding head…

_Get up,_ He told himself. _You are not gonna die in this hole._

Standing was still torturous, but he managed to do it. Once the haze of blackness cleared from his vision, he attempted to assess the damage done to his body. His ribs ached like no tomorrow, enough that one was probably broken. He also guessed that he'd smarted his wrist somehow, as it burned almost as much as his ribs. Other than that, hopefully just minor bruises.   
Wild leaned against the hard wall of the cavern, glancing up to the faint light above. There was no way he'd be able to exit the temple that way. He pulled up his shirt and took a look at his abdomen. Judging by the fast-spreading bruise mingling with old scars, he needed to get help, and soon.

Pursing his lips in determination, Wild began to make his way forward. He did his best to ignore the shocks of pain that flared every other step.  
Focusing his attention on his feet, Wild watched the dust scuff up like powder snow behind his trailing steps. He was so intent on it that he didn't notice the river right in front of him until icy water had leaked through his shoes. He gasped at the sheer temperature of the river, and quickly stepped back to avoid a further soaking. At the very least it served the purpose of bringing him back to reality.

On the other hand, he did _not_ want to fall in.

With this in mind, Wild began to look for a means of crossing. He thought through his arsenal of magic. Ice magic might've worked, had the river not been so fast and strong. Unfortunately, after that, nothing else came to mind that would help him cross. Or at least, nothing… ethical. He had no items that'd be any good, unless his newly acquired wind baton could create bridges from nothing, which he doubted. 

_Okay, no magic, no items, what else could there be…?_

In a moment of realization, Wild slapped a hand to his forehead. 

_Of course. This is a dungeon. There's got to be a natural way through._

_...Maybe I need to get tested for concussion too…_

Cursing his muddled mind, Wild lit a flame at his fingertips. It was wavered, but it would do. He swirled his hands around each other until the fire congealed between his palms. Then, muttering a soft incantation, he launched the ball of flame into the air. It glowed like a miniature star, lighting the cavern more than the flimsy torches ever could. The sudden brightness made him flinch and press his eyes shut.

_Get moving. You have to get out of here and you don't have the magic for another fireball._

Forcing his eyes open through the glare, Wild stared around. The fireball had lit the cavern thoroughly, and it stood in stark contrast to what it had been previously.

A glint of metal caught his attention. His gaze trained upwards, Wild managed to spot the wings of another pinwheel, similar to the ones that had opened the door to the hole he'd fallen down.

_Well, at least it's consistent._

Wild drew the baton from his pack. It glittered a savage white in the brightness. Trying not to look at it too much, he waved it, letting the magic within do it's work.  
The breeze flowed from nowhere. It tugged at the pinwheel's wings, growing stronger until something clicked.  
Wild relaxed and put the baton away, waiting for the change. 

Sure enough, a rhythmic clanking began to rumble from beneath him. Slats slid out through the river, forming a none-too-safe looking bridge.

_No matter. You get what you get._

Glancing up to make sure his fire light wouldn't go out before he finished crossing, Wild began to shuffle across the bridge. It tipped dangerously beneath him, but held true.  
After what felt like hours, he finally set his feet upon hard stone. The door laid before him, large and inviting.

_Well, as long as it isn't another fake, I'm set._

He gratefully tugged the door open. It swung up easily, revealing a rather large set of stairs. 

Sighing, he began his ascent.

***

It was becoming rather tedious, and tiring, after his third minute of climbing.

_Just how far did I fall?_

Though, it did prove to be worth something, as finally, _finally,_ he saw the top.   
Newly invigorated, he ran up the last few steps. His everything still hurt, but he'd managed to ignore it by now. Another door stood tall before him, free of both bars and lock. Without hesitation he threw it open, allowing a familiar watery light to shine through. _Natural light,_ no less.

In his relief, he failed to notice the giant Chu crawling up behind him. By the time he heard it, it was already jumping towards him.  
In a flash, untamed magic reared from his hand. The Chu dissolved in the face of its power.  
Breathing hard despite the lack of real danger, Wild picked up the magic jar the monster had dropped. He drank it in relief, allowing the newfound feeling of completeness flow through him. 

Though, there was something suspicious about it…

Wild turned. Two rows of clay pots stood before him, and in between them was a door, larger than any of the ones he had come across previously, with thick chains wrapped around its frame. A needlessly complicated lock sat in its middle.

Wild looked to his left. An open corridor. He looked to his right. A chained door.

He growled to himself.

_No. I am done with this dungeon. Damn any golden treasure I might find through those other doors, I want out._

Mind set, Wild drew a paperclip from his bag. Despite the size of the lock, the actual key part was normally not that big. He jammed the paperclip inside, fiddling with its placement and shape until, finally, it stuck.   
Grinning to himself, Wild watched the chains that had seemed so opposing fall to the floor. But the elation was quickly swept away when he realized what lay through the door.   
He was in no condition to deal with a boss monster.

But… those pots were there for a reason…

A little bit of his happiness returned, Wild began smashing pots. It was mostly just arrows and deku nuts, stuff that was useless to him. But the last pot produced a fairy. 

Thanking the goddess for his luck, Wild cupped the fairy in his hands and raised it to himself. It swirled around him, healing his ribs and wrist and bruises. The pain was not completely gone, but it was better than he could've hoped for.

Breathing easy for the first time since he'd fallen, Wild turned to face the boss door. Determination coursed through him. Sliding his palm down the flat metal, he curled his fingers beneath the door and pulled. It complied with not a squeal, allowing him unrestricted access to whatever beast that planned to ruin his day.

_Or at least ruin it more. I don't know how much worse this day can get.._

Sighing at the thought, he stepped into the waiting darkness.  
_

The first thing he was met with was two people yelling at each other. Which was confusing, to say the least. Awkwardly, Wild tried to shuffle up to them without scaring them, while pushing down his confusion, but they were so invested in their argument that they did not notice him either way.

He would just have to resort to other means.  
"Hello?" He called.  
They both turned immediately, the blond one drawing a staff and the short one summoning concerning-looking magic. Wild held up his hands, a little apprehensive. "Woah! It's okay! I'm not a monster!"  
The short one settled at that, but the blond one still looked suspicious.

But the suspicion was short-lived, as the short one whispered into the blond one's ear, and they both frowned at him.  
"Wild?"  
Wild blinked. "How do you-"

Then it struck him. They looked exactly like the merchants from earlier that day (had it really only been a day?), Legend and Ravio. They were here, in the heart of the temple, and had seemingly just killed his boss monster, by the look of the strands of malice still floating in the air.  
Ravio grinned at him. "I never would have thought that you'd make it this far! I'm so happy! Maybe you can help us decide who gets this heart container?"  
Wild grimaced. "Slow down a little, will you? I have some questions. A lot of questions, actually."

Ravio looked a little down-trodden, but Legend just smirked. "And what would those be?" He asked.  
Wild held up a hand. "Well first- how did you get here? I didn't see you at all-"  
"Teleported," Legend stated nonchalantly.  
Wild stopped for a moment. "Okay… moving on, so why did you tell me how to get into the temple if you were just going to take the treasure anyways?"  
Legend's smirk widened. "There's a couple answers to that question. You want the one that's true or the one you want to hear?"  
The warlock's stare hardened a little. "The one that's true, please."

This time Ravio answered. "Well, we… wanted to make sure you were safe. I got rid of the water when you were drowning, and we planned on getting out of here after killing the boss, but you came sooner than expected…" he laughed nervously.

_That's a lot of information to take in…_  
"So that was you? Who got rid of the water?"  
Legend spoke again. "Yup."  
Wild was supremely confused at this point. "But why? I'm not a child, I can deal with a dungeon! And you just met me today!"  
Ravio started messing with his hood. "Well, uhm, we-"  
Legend interrupted. "Couldn't just let a helpless warlock drown, could we?" Wild growled softly at his use of the words 'helpless.' "You're lucky Ravio is so good at shadow magic, or you'd be dead meat."  
His curiosity piqued at the last comment. Ignoring Legend's blatant condescension, he asked, "Shadow magic, huh?"  
"It's none of your business," Ravio stated with surprising metal.

Backing off, Wild went for an easier topic. "Well... I went through enough to get here. Can I at least have the treasure?"  
"You've already got it," Legend remarked. "The Wind Waker."

Wild frowned, and drew the baton out of his pack. "This thing?"  
Ravio nodded, his previous seriousness all but dissolved. "Yeah! And it's great for a lot more than just controlling wind, too! I would've wanted to experiment with it- it's powerful magic!- but Legend said that-"  
There was a yelp from the dark-haired merchant as Legend kicked his shin.   
"We should really be going. So should you, actually. Wanna ride, kid?"  
"Yes? Maybe? Wait, how-"

Wild didn't get to finish his sentence, as Ravio had already summoned a void in the center of the room, and all breath was pulled from him as the feeling of warping overtook his mind.  
_

"Hey," -a kick- "You alright?"

Wild opened his eyes with a groan. "Yeah." He stood, rubbing his forehead. "Little warning, next time, please."  
Looking around, Wild observed the familiar lights of the street his shop was settled on. Legend and Ravio were there too, both with expressions of concern. "This your first time warping, or somethin'?" Said the blond merchant.  
Wild shook his head. "No, just…  
"It's been awhile, okay?"

He was thankful the pair left it at that. "Whatever," Legend said. "We should be going. C'mon, Ravio."  
Legend grasped Ravio's hand and made to exit, but the merchant held back. "Wait!" He said. "Just a moment!"  
He pulled a scrap of paper and a pen from some recess in his cloak, and scribbled something on it. "This is the number for our shop! Call us if you need something! Or if you don't! Just-"  
Legend glared at his partner. "We have places to be, hurry up," he grunted.  
Ravio smiled kindly at Wild. "Okay, just… see you soon, alright?"

Wild returned the smile, and took the paper. "I'll make sure of it." 

He could've sworn he saw the couple share duel smiles as they vanished. Words he wasn't meant to hear floated indecipherably from the portal, until it faded, and was gone.

Wild did not even question how the merchant couple had known the street where he lived as he slowly walked to his waiting shop. Four was bound to be worried, along with Hyrule, and he would rather be focused on them than whatever mysteries laid waiting for him in the shadows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter might be a little boring, but I have to worldbuild somehow! I tried to make it more interesting with Wild's stream of consciousness, so hopefully that worked.


End file.
